Flight Attendant Union Commends Secretary Solis' Service To Working Families

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) applauds Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis' dedication to improving the lives of Flight Attendants and working families. In honor of Secretary Solis' service at the Department of Labor, AFA issued the following statement:

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"Through the advocacy of Secretary Solis, safety and health standards in the aircraft cabin have improved. For the first time in history, Flight Attendants will have vital Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) protections that millions of Americans have had for decades. We commend Secretary Solis for her zero tolerance approach to preventable workplace injuries.

"In addition, Secretary Solis and her team worked diligently to issue proposed rulemaking for the flight crew technical corrections to the Family Medical Leave Act so that Flight Attendants and their families could utilize FMLA benefits. Under her leadership, the Department of Labor is preparing thorough and clear guidelines to airline management, to ensure the FMLA benefits we fought so hard for were finally accessible to flight crews.

"In the true spirit of democracy, Secretary Solis has been a strong advocate of collective bargaining rights. Her commitment to ensuring that workers have a voice at the table will have lasting effects for millions of Americans.

"It has been an honor to work alongside this champion of working people. We will forever be thankful to Secretary Solis. She is an inspirational leader and we wish all the best for her and her family."

The Association of Flight Attendants is the world's largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 67 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions.  Nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants